The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-06-10
Hosried wealth Of India
now THE EAST INDIAN TURNS EVERY
THING lie POSSESSES INTO JEwBLRY.

Never during its existence has India
been so rich in jewelry as now. The
people are always adding to their stock.
Savings from nearly all sources are dis
posed OF In this way, and these savings
are being constantly made often at
the expense of clothing, sometimes at
the expense of greater necesssries Of
life.
The making and the storing away
OF wealth in this form is the national
peculiaritly of this country. 1t is in
dulged in by all classes of natives.
Jewelry is regarded as the most staple
kind of wealth, aud fortunes are never
counted without estimating the value
of the stock Of jewelry. 1t can always
be pledged or disposed of. The mar
ket for its sale is never closed and
never depressed.
The most ignorant native who wishes
to sell piece Of jewelry knows its mar.
ket value quite well. He can scarcely
be cheated. Jewelry forms the great
est factor 10 matrimony. The most
lowly bride Las her stridhan, which is
often equal in value TO FIVE years in
come of the bridegroom. There is
often scarcity Of clothing, sometimes
a scarcity OF cooking pots, generally
not a particle of furniture, but nearly
always a stock Of jewely.
The wife that has no jewelry pos
sesses nothing else, she cannot be rob-
bed. The family that does not possess
jewelry Is absolutely INDECENT. One
Of the greatest boasts of the iewelry
owners is that his boards cannot be
taxed. A man may own jewelry val
ued at a lakh of rupees and pay no in
come tax. This is source of greater
satisfaction. Jewelry yields no recur-
ring income, but it is priced more than
government paper. "If it never in
creases it never dimiuishes,r is a nation
al saying, common among men and
women alike.
No native marriage, except among the
most impoverished, takes place without
transferof jewelry, and very frequent
ly of new jewelry. So great in value is
the new jewelry that is introduced into
new families by marriage, that we
dare not estimate it, the amount would
be so fabulous. Truly the investment
of wealth 10 jewelry in India is the
greatest and most remarkable institu-
tion in the country. Every other in
vestment sinks into insignifcance be-
side it.
Under no native prince or rajah of
former tunes has jewelry accumulated
as it has accumulated under the Brit
ish government in British India For
century past the sacking of towns
has been unknown; the plunder of in.
dividuals has been greatly restrained,
and wealth in the form of jewelry has
accumulated.
One-half of the people of India are
Jewelry owners. 1t is only when the
day of taking stock of the family
jewelry comes round, such as the oc.
casion of wedding or a great gala
day, that a stranger can form the
slightest conception of the'amount of
wealth in the family in the form of
jewelry. Amusement at once strikes
him as he for the first time is permit.
ted to see the amount OF accumulated
wealth.
The inventory day is, par excellence,
the womeD's day. Gathered round the
iron safes, the cash boxes, the metallic
boxes, the neatly carved wooden boxes,
the delight of the women is observed
10 their eyes as each pair of golden
bracelets studded with pearls; each
pair OF diamond, or emerald, or sap
phire earrings, each nose ring with
large pearls, massive gold chains and
a large number of rings; extensively
and even extravagantly gemmed, are
handed round the family circle for ad-
miration. And great is the family
delight.